Best Beaches in Positano {Da Adolfo}

By now you all probably know how I feel about Da Adolfo. 

I have friends that love it and friends who would rather stay put by the pool in Capri.  Da Adolfo is a special place that also requires a special mind set. The chairs are a little rickety, the beach a little small. For me, the chaos is part of the charm.

Hamburgers in Rome {'Ino + Eataly} CLOSED

My house has had a steady stream of visitors this summer. Most of them have been teenage boys. This is my teenage boy's last summer at home before he heads off to the Berklee College of Music in September, so he has has been squeezing in as many concerts at Rock in Roma and time with friends before they head off to Bangkok, Korea, Belgium and the UK.

Top Tips for Living in Italy

Unlike so many people who decide to move to Italy, I was not a lifelong Italophile. I ended up in Rome almost by accident. My Junior year abroad was spent in rainy London and not sunny Italy. After college, I dreamed of Africa and learned French. I fell in love with a fellow American and not an Italian. After almost two decades in Africa that American I married was transferred to Rome and now Italy is my home. I often joke this is one of the most challenging places we have ever lived. Over the years I have figured a few things out that make life as a foreigner in Italy a little easier. I have been working with Inghams on a locals guide to life in Italy. Here are a few of my top tips for living in Italy.

5 things to do in Ponza

The island of Ponza located off the Lazio coast is filled with fun things to do.  Whether you like a day filled with activity or a day of lounging there is something for everyone. Here are my picks for 5 things to do in Ponza.

Positano {Pretty Pictures}

 

I am down in Positano working hard on research for the app. I promise I will be sharing with you all of the beautiful sites, refreshing cocktails and delicious food that I discover.

For now here are a few images and a short video of the always beautiful Amalfi Coast.

Coffee in Rome {Baylon Cafe + Trastevere}

It is that time of year again. The summer months in Rome bring lots of parties. Parties in elegant gardens on ancient roads and on spectacular rooftops of medieval towers. But while these parties are pretty, they come with a price. This is time of year when the friends I have made in this peripatetic life start wandering off to other places. 

It is also the time of year when, like swallows, wandering pals return. In between the flurry of returning Romans relative visiting, doctors appointments and parmesan shopping, there is always time for one more cup of coffee and a quick look at some Baroque treasure. 

Hamburgers in Rome {Settimo al Pellegrino}

You have probably heard the stories about how hard it is to have a meal at this historic Roman restaurant. I certainly had. Tales of doors slammed shut and phones unanswered. This has not been my experience.

Eating in Rome {Pasta - Five Favorite Places}

We are the perfect family.  Well, at least in the pasta department that is.

I am an amatriciana gal. The Teenager loves carbonara with crunchy guianciale, and the Husband orders cacio e pepe. Every. Single. Time.

A little background on my husband's love of this simple Roman pasta dish. When I met my husband I was living in Niger. This was in the days when we read physical newspapers and calls on landlines cost a breathtaking $7 a minute. Yes. a minute. Mark had a very fancy contract with the US government that afforded him many many privileges that I, working for an NGO, did not have. Most dramatically, his electricity bill was paid by his employer   which meant he had air-conditioning. This mattered because it was often 35+ degrees in Niger. He also had this storeroom filled with food shipped in from America once a year.  There was one shelf filled from ceiling to floor with kraft macaroni and cheese. He claims that Cacio e Pepe is really just the Italian version of mac & cheese.

These are our five favorite places for a plate of traditional roman pasta and a dish of cicoria

Best Beach Clubs in Italy

It is summer in Italy and for me (and most Italians) that means going to the beach. Going to the beach in Italy is a little different than going to beach in most other places. You won't find boardwalks or salt water taffy here. What we do have are something called stabilimenti balneari, which kind of translates to beach club. 

Most popular beach destinations in Italy are filled with these stabilimenti. You can find "free" beaches (the Cancelli at the far edges of Ostia, the Maremma in Tuscany or the island of Sardegna are a great places if wild empty beaches are more your style) Me, I am a stabilimenti girl. I like the order of the chairs and umbrellas all lined up. I like the restaurants and snack options. I like a clean bathroom. 

Read on for some of my picks for the beach beach clubs in Italy.